Guard Your Heart But Never Back Down
by jojo241
Summary: Hermione loves Draco and vice versa but they'll never admit it. Hermione's rapist comes to Hogwarts as a teacher and Draco's dad is a murderer. What else could possibly go wrong? Has rape and lemon. R&R (summary isnt too good but it's a good story.)
1. Meet the New Hermione Granger

DISCLAIMER: Don't own it. Never have, never will.  
  
Category: Hermione and Draco Title: Guard Your Heart but Never Back Down  
  
Chapter 1: Meet the new Hermione Granger  
  
"Wow." Was all they could say.  
"Um, Hermione, wow, uh, wow why the sudden change? You looked great before, and now, well, wow." Ron spoke up after a few moments silence. "I needed a change and I wasn't happy. It's that simple." Hermione said defiantly to her two best friends, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived.  
  
It was true, Hermione, Bookworm-Know-It-All Granger was no more. She had been unhappy with herself as being the know-it-all little Gryffindor who everyone assumed had no life but her studies, and they were right. She wanted to be free, she wanted to be independent, she wanted be unique, she wanted to be herself. And so she was. The summer before her seventh year at Hogwarts she re-created herself the way she wanted to be. There was no more living up to everyone else's expectations of her and doing and being what everyone else wanted her to do and be. She did what she wanted, when she wanted, and how she wanted. Not only a new look did Hermione Granger create, but a new attitude and personality as well. She decided to keep being intelligent, well because intelligence is definitely good to have and she did not want to be like the Slytherin Ho, Pansy Parkinson. Sure Pansy was pretty, and had power, but she was dumb as a stump and everyone knew it, including Pansy. Now, Hermione's look had changed a lot from the slightly baggy brightly colored clothes, no make up, bushy hair and 6 books attached at her hip to the still a little baggy, but tight at the same time dark colored clothes, tame beautiful curly but sometimes straight hair dyed dark brown, a little dark makeup and no books which suited her just fine and made her look even better than she had before. The dark clothes and makeup and hair suited her fine slightly tan skin and she had an attitude to put on the top. Yes, Hermione Granger had changed a great deal and it was for the better. She was her own person now, and she felt great.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Well, I like the new you Hermione." Harry said stoutly after Ron had spoken. "Yeah, me too, Mione, it suits you great." Ron tried to say as stoutly as Harry but couldn't, as he was busy checking her out. "Well thanks guys, I was a little afraid you wouldn't like it, but I would have dealt with it either way. Hey where's Ginny?" Hermione said. "I don't know, haven't seen her since we left London." Ron said and as he did so, Harry got a slightly pale look on his face that was full of concern. Noticing this, Hermione spoke, "Oh, ok, well don't worry guys, I'll go find her." And with that she turned around and walked out of the compartment into the hallway of the Hogwart's Express looking for her old friend. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Malfoy, you've been strangely quiet, what's up with you?" Blaise Zabini questioned his friend. "What? Oh nothing, just thinking." Malfoy replied. "Well whatever man." Blaise responded slightly concerned for his friend's odd behavior. And Draco Malfoy turned back to the window he was staring at. "Hey, Crabbe, Goyle, you what's up with you two? What have ya'll been doing this summer?" Zabini asked the other two occupants of their compartment. Crabbe and Goyle began talking or grunting rather, in their loud raspy voices to Blaise answering his question and deeply disturbing Draco's thoughts. Just then he decided to get up and leave, he needed quiet, he needed to think about the girl he saw getting on the train with her two "bodyguards" by her side. He needed to think and figure out why he kept thinking about Hermione Granger. "Hey, I'm gonna look for an empty compartment, I need some time to think." Draco got up and said to his friends as he left the compartment and strode into the hallway, utterly perplexed.  
  
Just then he bumped right into someone and they both fell over on the ground him on top of his impediment to solace. "Wha...whoa!!" Hermione shrieked as she fell to the ground and someone fell on top of her. She noticed the scent of the boy who had run into her and it smelled delicious. "Sorry, I guess I wasn't paying attention." Draco said as he started looking down at the person he was crushing beneath him. "Malfoy." Hermione began, but before she could think of a rude comment to throw at him, he was standing up and had a hand out waiting for to take, helping her to her feet. And she graciously took his hand. "Well, I never would have expected an apology from you, but it's ok, you didn't mean to knock me over." She said a little more friendly than she intended too. "Ya, well, you're not the only one who's changed over the summer." He replied in an icy tone and then turned around looking for an empty compartment. Confused, Hermione couldn't help but stare at her arch enemy walk away and at his perfect body. 'Not the only one who's changed. What's that supposed to mean? Why was he so nice? Why didn't he call me mudblood or filthy or something like that? What's going on with him? Maybe I should go talk to him and find out, he was so nice and so, so mysterious and he smelled good too! Oh just look at his body. What?!!? Stop thinking like that! He's your enemy, you shouldn't be thinking like that about him. But he was so mysterious, I want to find out more, I have to find out more about him.' She couldn't help think to herself. As the little battle in her head went on Ginny came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey Hermione!" The redhead squealed at her best friend. "Wow! I love the new look. I bet Ron couldn't stop staring at you! That top it's great. You have to take me shopping in Hogsmeade since you get that special pass and all for being Head Girl." "What? Oh thanks Gin, I didn't really notice Ron staring at me. Sure we could go shopping I guess, but how do you know I'm Head Girl? I don't even know if I am." Hermione answered Ginny's questions. "Well, it's kind of obvious you'll be Head Girl, I mean come on, who else would it be? Parvati or Lavender?" Ginny laughed as she spoke. "Oh, I guess you're right, but I still don't know. I wonder who the Head Boy is going to be." "I don't know Herm, but I'm gonna go find Harry ok? I'll talk to you later." Ginny said as she winked and gave her friend a quick a hug and walked into a compartment hoping Harry was in it.  
"Alright Gin, see you later." Hermione called after the redhead. 'She really should do something about that crush she has. It's getting worse. I can't believe they aren't together yet. He loves her so much, I can see it in his eyes. Well, I need some time to sort out my thoughts, where's an empty compartment?' Hermione thought to herself and she roamed up and down the hall of the train looking for an empty compartment and at the end of the train, she finally found one, or so she thought.  
"At last, some peace and quiet." She said softly out loud to herself.  
"Ya, that's what I thought too." Draco quietly said in his icy voice looking up to see Hermione walking into his empty compartment.  
"Oh, I'm sorry Dra-Malfoy, I didn't realize you were here, I'll go find another compartment." She said and started to turn around and open the door but he spoke again,  
"You don't have to you. I'm quiet if that's what you were looking for, and besides this is the only open compartment, I've looked." He said staring right into her cinnamon eyes.  
"Well, in that case, I'll stay. Would it bother you if I wanted to talk?"  
"Not at all, please do." He responded with his infamous smirk.  
"Not yet." She said smirking back. And he nodded as he looked back out the window.  
'Damn, when did she get that sexy smirk. Man she looks good just sitting there thinking. She's so smart, a hell of a lot smarter than Pansy; prettier too. She's not being so cold to me either. Well, she doesn't really have a reason too, I haven't exactly been my usual asshole self around her. What am I thinking? I can't start to fall for her, Father would absolutely kill me. Well, not really, first he'd torture me senseless, then he'd kill me. Ya, that's what he'd do. Well fuck it. To hell with him, I'm through with him controlling me. It's my life, not his. Fuck him, I want her.' Draco got lost in his thoughts but was brought back abruptly as Hermione moved to sit directly across from him, staring at him, staring into his soul. Then he decided to speak.  
"So Granger, what possessed you to be you? What triggered it all of a sudden?" He asked.  
"How do you something triggered it?"  
"I can read it in your eyes. You're trying to figure me out, and I you, but I beat you to it. So what caused it? Potty and Weasel?"  
"Oh." She answered blushing a bit that she was caught but not for long she regained her emotions and locked them up filling her eyes with nothing so that he couldn't read into her soul anymore.  
"Well?"  
"Well, if you must know, and it's none over your business anyway, it was my bloody parents and everyone else in the world. I was just tired of being someone I'm not. Tired of living up to everyone else's expectations of me and being who they wanted me to be. I was sick and tired of it all. And my parents were just the last straw. So I flipped. And I left."  
"You left? Where'd you go?"  
"A friend's place." Her face grew sad and her eyes were full of hate and sadness as she answered his questions remembering her previous summer.  
  
"That's it! I've had enough! I can't take anymore of this imprisonment! It's bloody hell living here under your roof!" She screamed at both of her parents.  
"Well if you're so unhappy here, why don't you just move out! Get out of this house! And go do whatever the hell you want! Ruin your life! See what we care!" Her father shouted back at her. And with that sentence, she flipped him off and then her mother, and slammed her door in both their faces then locked it. She packed all of her things together and headed downstairs and walked out of the front door and called a cab to come get her.  
"The apartments on Third." She said to the cab driver and they drove off to her best friend's apartment. He was 18 and working for Gringotts. After about five minutes they arrived at his apartment and she paid the cabby and got out and walked up to his apartment on the fifth floor and knocked at the door praying he was home. Sure enough he was and he gladly excepted her in.  
After a few weeks of staying with him, the night before she had to go back to Hogwarts, she had just finished getting ready for bed and had her pajamas on and walked into the living room where she was sleeping on his couch bed, when he called her into his room. Without thinking, well it was her best friend and everything had been fine, she went to his room and as soon as she got in, he locked the door behind her and grabbed her, forcing her onto his bed.  
"What's going on Nick?" She asked confused and terrified.  
"Nothing, love, I'm just gonna have a little fun and you're gonna like it." He answered.  
"Wha-" She started to ask again but couldn't as he had his mouth on hers in a painful kiss, he forced her lips open and thrust his tongue into her mouth and then kissed her neck, and cheek and above her chest that wasn't covered by her tank top.  
"No, Nick. Stop! Please Stop!" She screamed as she tried to push him off her but he was too strong. And she didn't have her wand. He had her and there's was nothing she could do, so she prepared for the worst.  
He ripped her shirt off and kissed her breasts and tugged them and sucked on them while tears slowly ran down her face but he didn't care. He wanted to be inside her. He pulled down her pants and underwear and undid his belt and pulled his pants and boxers down and thrust into her as hard as he could. She let out a scream of pain as he took away from her, her wholeness and innocence. He continued to rape her until he'd gotten all he wanted and he pulled himself out of her and pulled his boxers back up and got into his bed and pulled the covers over the both of them.  
"What are you doing now?" She asked very tired and pained with a tear streaked face.  
"Going to sleep. You didn't think I'd let you sleep all alone after that did you? You might get lonely, or I might get another urge. And I don't want you to leave until you absolutely have to tomorrow." He said as if nothing was wrong and then he wrapped his arms around her and fell asleep. Eventually she did too. Scarred and very pissed off.  
  
"Uh, Granger?" Draco said tentatively pulling her out of her memories. "You ok? Do you need something?"  
"What? Oh, no sorry, I was just thinking, about what happened over the summer." She said not sad anymore, but full of hate.  
"Oh, well you wanna talk about it?"  
"No."  
"Ok."  
And they sat like that the rest of the ride to Hogwarts, in silence lost in their own thoughts.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Alright what'd ya think? Good? Bad? Let me know review!!! More will come with reviews. Flames and ideas welcome. 


	2. A Silent Connection

Chapter 2: A Silent Connection  
  
"Welcome back students! It has been a long summer break and I am eager to see all of your shining faces back at school. You all know the rules. First years, the Forbidden Forest is off limits, and the stories you've heard, most of them are true. This year's new Head Boy and Head Girl are none other than Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger. Let's give them both a well-deserved hand. And with that said, let's eat!" The Headmaster finished his start of term speech and everyone began the feast.  
  
"Goodness! I thought I was gonna starve. It's about time he finished." Ron said piling excess amounts of food onto his plate and cramming it all in his mouth as if he hadn't eaten in five years.  
"That's disgusting Ron, slow down please, before I hurl." Hermione said with disgust.  
Harry and Ginny just laughed at their pig of a friend as they held hands under the table and Harry cleared his throat.  
"Ahem." He started and Hermione and Ron looked up from their plates to see what he wanted. "Well, uh, see, the thing is, well, er, let's see, how should I say this-" He began but was cut off by Ginny who couldn't wait to tell the news.  
"We're together now." She said absolutely beaming.  
"Really?" Ron and Hermione said at the same time. "That's great!" They said again in unison. And both chuckled a little as they turned back to their food.  
  
Over at the Slytherin table, a certain silver-eyed, blonde haired boy was staring at a certain brown-eyed, brown haired girl at a different table.  
'Damn, she's so beautiful. Why do I always find myself thinking about her?' He thought. 'She's just so-' But his thoughts were interrupted by a pretty, but stupid blonde haired Slytherin sitting next to him.  
"Oh Drakey! It's so good to see you again. So as I was saying before about the trip I took this summer-"  
"Pansy would you shut up!" Draco yelled at her and got up and left the Great Hall. Leaving a somewhat confused Pansy behind but not too distraught.  
  
'Hmm, I wonder what caused him to leave.' Hermione thought to herself. Then she got up and went to follow her new obsession. Exiting the Great Hall she saw the back of his black robes billow out onto the grounds of Hogwarts. He started slowing down once he was outside the castle and walked slowly over towards the lake. He just stood there, staring out into nothing, just thinking.  
Hermione walked quietly over to where Draco was standing. Once she reached him she stood right next to him not saying anything. He turned to see who was standing with him and once he saw who it was he smiled and turned back to the lake and began staring again at what seemed like nothing. It was strange. Neither one of them spoke for about 10 minutes. It was like they had this understanding that neither wanted to ruin the silence and the moment that they were sharing. They were just there, enjoying the presence of the other, and they understood the other in a way in which no one else did.  
Finally Draco spoke.  
"So what are you doing out here Granger?"  
"Enjoying the silence."  
"Oh yeah?"  
"Yeah."  
"That all?"  
"No."  
"Ok."  
"I came to see if you were ok. You just stormed out of the Great Hall looking kind of pissed off. I just wanted to make sure that everything was ok."  
"Oh."  
Moments of silence passed.  
"So are you ok Draco?"  
"No. I'm not."  
"Oh." She said, understanding a little as to why he wouldn't be ok. He had a shitty father, and a mother who was controlled by that shitty father and everyone expected him to be this baddass who had no feelings, who had no heart, who didn't care. Everyone expected that of him. Everyone but Hermione. So she chose not to say anything, because she understood.  
"Yeah."  
More silence passed.  
"You're not gonna ask me why I'm not alright?" He asked a little shocked at her silence.  
"No. No I'm not."  
"Oh."  
More silence.  
"I wish you would." He said turning to look at her.  
"What's wrong Draco? Why aren't you ok?" She too turned to look at her companion and her eyes were filled with understanding and longing. She longed to be the one he told all his problems too. She longed to be the one to make him smile and to make him happy. She longed to be his.  
"I'll tell you later. I promise. Right now though, could I ask for something from you?" Draco said quietly with a little hope and a lot of sadness in his voice.  
"Anything." Hermione replied, knowing that whatever he asked of her right then and there, she would give it to him, just to make him happy.  
"Can I have a hug?" He said in a small voice. He sounded a little embarrassed and ashamed that he had let her get to him like that and bring out this side of him, but he needed a hug, nonetheless. He needed to know that someone cared for him. That he meant something to someone in this vast world. Praying that that someone was Hermione Granger.  
Hermione didn't say anything. She just looked up into his eyes that were full of sorrow and anguish and fear and she reached up and gave him a hug. He held onto her tightly and never wanted to let go.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Where's Hermione?" Ron said as his finished his fourth piece of pumpkin pie.  
"I don't know man. She just got up and left and didn't say anything." Harry answered with a little concern in his voice.  
"I don't know." Ginny answered. But she had an idea not to where, she had no clue where Hermione could have gone, but as to who her best friend was with. 'I bet she's with Malfoy. He got up and left, then Hermione got up and followed him. I think she likes him. Well who wouldn't? He's gorgeous. And I heard that he changed over the summer and isn't as mean to everyone. If you want to know something, ask Lavender or Parvati. They know everything. Absolutely everything." Ginny thought to herself. She would never say that out loud unless she thought Hermione was in some kind of danger. But she knew Malfoy would never hurt her. In fact, if anyone was going to be getting hurt, it would be by Ron or Harry as they couldn't stand Malfoy at all. So Ginny Weasley kept her thoughts to herself for the meantime.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Finally letting go, Draco released Hermione and said:  
"Thanks. It means the world to me."  
"Anytime."  
And they walked back up to the castle and entered the Great Hall which was gleaming with light. Unlike their previous surroundings, which was pitch black. Trying to adjust their eyes to the light, they both kept walking straight and ran into something, rather someone, very big. The very big someone caught them both before they fell down and started speaking.  
"Oh, sorry you too. Didn't see ya walkin' there. Welcome back but I best be goin'. Got some work that needs ter be finished. Bye Hermione, Draco." And Hagrid nodded and walked out to his hut next to the Forbidden Forest.  
"Well, I can see finally-" Hermione began but stopped as Draco placed a finger over her mouth and pulled her into a closet.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
  
Hehehe, cliffy!!! Lol Aren't I evil?? Yes I am. Well I'm glad you like it so far. I wasn't sure if anyone would. I think it's a lot better than my other fic. Well, keep reviewing and thanks for the reviews and ideas. I'll add more soon I promise!!  
  
~jojo 


	3. Misinterpretation

A/N: Contains lemon. You have been warned.  
  
Chapter 3: Misinterpretation  
  
"What are we going to do?" Professor McGonagall asked her colleague in a hushed voice.  
"I don't know. But we can't tell Dumbledore just yet." Came Professor Snape's icy voice. It was full of worry and anxiety. Both of which, hardly anyone had heard in Snape's voice ever.  
"Why shouldn't we tell Dumbledore? If something is wrong he needs to know." McGonagall replied, still in a hushed voice.  
"Because," Snape began, "we aren't exactly sure something is wrong. We don't have enough proof yet. We shouldn't jump to conclusions and worry about something we're not even sure exists. Besides, the old man's got enough on his mind already, what with Lucius Malfoy and all." Snape replied, the worry and anxiety now gone.  
"If you say so, Severus. If you say so." And with that McGonagall turned around and headed up the stairs towards Gryffindor Tower. Snape however, remained standing where he was. Thinking, before saying out loud softly to himself,  
"The poor boy. This would crush him. I just hope it isn't true." And then with that he turned and headed down the corridor in the direction of the dungeons, where the Slytherins boarded.  
  
"What was all that about?" Hermione said quietly, half to Draco, half to herself.  
"I don't know." Draco began, "but it can't be good. Nothing involving my father is ever good." He finished solemnly. Hoping that it was nothing like the professors.  
"Shall we go to our common room then?" Hermione said slowly.  
"Yeah, there's just one problem."  
"What's that?"  
"Both our head of houses just walked off into two different directions. And I sure as hell don't know where our room is, or what the Slytherin password is to get in and found out from Snape. And unless you stayed and found out from McGonagall where our room is, or you know the Gryffindor password, looks like we're out of luck for a room tonight." Draco finished.  
"Oh. Yeah, that could be a problem." She said slowly. Silently cursing herself for being not getting the password.  
'She's so beautiful. I love it when she's thinking. Why am I just noticing her know? Oh yea, I've got my head out of my ass for the first time since I was born and I care about others more than myself. Yea, that's why.' Draco was thinking as he watched her process everything she had just told him. 'She's so compassionate and understanding. Damn I want her so much. I wonder is she feels the same. I should ask her sometime.' Draco was pulled out of his thoughts when his muse spoke.  
"Well, we could look in the Great Hall to see if anyone is still in there. Or we could after McGonagall and Snape. Or head up to Dumbledore's offi-" She was cut off by Draco.  
"Nope. None of those will work. Snape and McGonagall wouldn't have left the hall if there were still students in there. And they would already be in their quarters by now. And lastly, do you happen to know the password to Dumbledore's office?"  
"Oh, you're right. No I don't know the password. Damn. Well what are we going to go do then?"  
"I don't-" But what Draco didn't, we'll never find out. Because Hermione had a brilliant idea and cut him off while dragging him outside the closet and out of the castle in the direction of the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid's hut.  
"I've got it! We'll ask Hagrid. He'll at least know the password to Dumbledore's office if nothing else! C'mon!" Hermione screeched with delight at her brilliance. Just smiling and being pulled by Hermione, Draco went quietly with her admiring her intelligence. His thoughts quickly catching up to him.  
'Wow she's so smart. I don't think I would of ever thought to ask Hagrid. Well, personally, I don't like the big oaf too much. He seems a bit stupid if you ask me. But she seems to like him well enough. Well, if she likes him that much, I can at least give him a chance.' They arrived at Hagrid's hut in just a few minutes. As they approached the door, Hermione slowed down her pace a little and when she reached the door, she knocked. They both heard barking coming from inside.  
"Fang." Hermione and Draco both said quietly at the same time and smiled.  
"I'm comin' just a minute." Came Hagrid's voice from the inside. "Well hello there. Hermione, Draco." He said as he nodded to each of them. "What can I do for the two of you?"  
"Well, er.see" Hermione started speaking rather lamely and slightly embarrassed. But Draco finished for her.  
"We don't know where our common room is and our professors have already gone to bed and we don't know the password to Dumbledore's office and we were wondering if you could tell us the password so we can go ask him where our room is."  
"Oh! Well that's no problem. I don't know where your room is, but I do know Dumbledore's password, so I can help you there." Hagrid replied quite jovially.  
"That's great! What's the password then?" Hermione piped in sounding a little more confident and so embarrassed anymore.  
"It's Citrus Chews." Hagrid said happily before saying, "well you two best be off. It's beginning to get a little late and you too needn't be out of bed at this hour. So off you go."  
"Thanks a bunch Hagrid." Hermione said gratefully before giving him a small hug goodbye and heading back up to the castle with Draco.  
"Goodbye then." Hagrid called after them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
To their extreme luck, Dumbledore was in his office and was happy to escort them to their common room. Once inside they gaped at what lay in front of their eyes. The common room was extremely large with a gigantic bookcase filled with at least a hundred books along one wall. There were two enormous desks on the other wall that faced each other and had quills and parchment and ink on the top of the desk. In the middle of the third wall, which faced the entrance into the room, was a huge fireplace with an equally huge couch in front of it, with two very large squashy armchairs on each side of the couch placed at an angle facing the fireplace. The chairs were big enough for two people to sit in comfortably. Above the fireplace was a large portrait of a serpent and a lion, who were at the moment sleeping huddled together.  
  
Hermione looked in awe at the room. It's wallpaper was green and burgundy and the carpet was a grayish silver that looked so soft that Hermione took off her shoes and socks right then and there just to see if the carpet was as soft as it looked. And it was. Hermione wiggled her toes in the soft carpet and closed her eyes with a small smile across her lips. Draco watched her do all this in amusement. He had never seen anyone so fascinated with something so little as soft carpet. But when he saw the sweet smile on her face he couldn't resist her any longer. He leaned down to her face and kissed her gently on the lips. Hermione's eyes were still closed and when she felt Draco's lips on hers she smiled even more. Feeling her smile more, Draco wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him deepening the kiss. As he did this, Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and happily parted her lips so that Draco's pleading tongue could enter her mouth. After several moments they broke apart due to the lack of oxygen. They stood there, arms still around each other, for a few minutes not wanting to leave the embrace of the other. And Draco's mind was racing. "That was everything I hoped it to be and more. I want to take her so bad right now. Damn she's so perfect. Mm she smells delicious. It's like lavender or something. I love it. I love her." Hermione's thoughts weren't still either. "Oh that was great. I didn't expect him to do that, but the surprise made it all the better. I can't believe he did that though, I would have never expected it. But I loved it. I want more. I want him to kiss me like that again. I want to stay in his arms forever. I feel so safe, so secure, so wanted.so loved. I wonder if he loves me? I doubt it. Do I love him? I can't. I couldn't. But I do." Draco then leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead before releasing his embrace around her. "Do you want to see your room?" He asked softly. "Alright. I guess so." She answered not wanting to leave him. "Ok." He didn't know what overcame him, or why he did, but he picked up Hermione and carried her to her room. When he opened the door, neither one of them took notice of anything in the enormous burgundy and gold room expect the large king size bed against a wall to the left. Draco slowly walked over to Hermione's bed and pulled down the blankets and sheets before placing her in her bed. He stood there for a second, staring at her longingly, wishing anything in the world that he could jump in that big bed with her. He didn't rip her clothes off, or his. He didn't ask her if he could stay, he didn't ask her if she wanted to go all the way, he didn't ask her anything. He simply leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips and said "Goodnight." Then turned to walk out of her room, but Hermione grabbed a hold of his hand as he turned and very quietly said, "Please don't go." Smiling, Draco turned around and said, "I could never leave you." Then he moved over to her and kissed her again but this time more passionately and longer. Hermione parted her lips and Draco's tongue crept inside her mouth dancing with her tongue. She pulled him down on top of her and deepened the kiss. Leaving his tongue in her mouth to explore his. He broke the kiss and kissed around her jaw line and down her neck and right under her neck just above her chest where he began lightly sucking. He slid his hands under her shirt and massaged her perfectly sized breasts. He removed his hand from under shirt and stopped sucking her skin to lift her shirt off over her head. He did so and smiled at what lay confined under her dark blue bra. Hermione arched her back slightly allowing him access to the clasp of her bra and Draco took this opportunity to unclasp it and release her breasts from their confinement. He kissed Hermione on the lips once more and then kissed his way down to her breasts and kissed all over them sucking on her hardened nipples. She moaned when he did this and smiled. Hermione sat up a little and kissed Draco's lips and his jaw and his neck and pulled his shirt out of it's neatly tucked in state and unbuttoned it. Once it was unbuttoned Draco threw it offhandedly to the floor along with Hermione's shirt and bra. She rubbed her hands up and down his finely toned chest and stomach rolled on top of him so that she was straddling him. Draco's mind went wild. "Oh god, she's amazing. I didn't think she felt this way about me. I thought she was just being nice to me out of pity or some bullshit of getting back at me for the past six years. What if that's what she's doing? What if she's playing me? That bitch. No, she wouldn't do something like that. Would she? No she wouldn't. She's not a bitch. She's an angel. A dark angel maybe, but an angel. Well, whatever her plan is, o god, she's undoing my pants. I can't fuck her. Not now, it would fuck up everything." And as Hermione finished licking and rubbing and sucking Draco's chest and stomach she approached his belt, with a mischievous smirk on her face that was new to him; it wasn't like the one she had on the train, it was different. This one was fiery, full of passion, and curiosity and lust or was it love? He couldn't tell. But as she undid his pants he let out a moan that he never intended for her to hear. But she did and it excited her even more. Just as Hermione had gotten Draco's pants off, he spoke in a husky voice, "Hermione, wait." "What?" She said not actually stopping. She had begun to under her pants but when he said stop she figured he didn't want to have sex then. So she stopped messing with her pants, and kissed him on the lips before slowly sliding his boxers down a little revealing what she was searching for at the moment. Before he could answer her, she took him in her mouth, all of him. And caused Draco to moan and say, "god Hermione" but that's all he could muster and then let out another moan. She had begun going faster and nibbled slightly at the tip of his erection, which was fully in her mouth. She stopped and just in time too. If she had gone any longer he would have cum. She started kissing his stomach and his chest and she sucked his nipples causing a little shiver to go up his spine and then she nestled herself down next to him on the bed and draped her arm over his stomach and then spoke. "Did you want something?" "Yea. But I'm glad you didn't listen to me." He then kissed her forehead and wrapped an arm around her possessively and the lay there together on Hermione's bed until they both fell asleep.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
  
Hey! Hope you liked it. This chapter was a bit longer like someone requested and you asked for more lemon so here you go. I tried to write one, don't think it's very good though so sorry about that. And also sorry it took a while to update but I this gay family weekend getaway thing. But here's the next chappie. Hope you liked it! Review or else there will be no more!! Mwahahahaha  
  
~jojo 


	4. New Arrival

Chapter 4: New Arrival  
  
Hermione awoke the next morning feeling very happy. At first, she was a little startled as to who she woke up next to. But when she realized he had an arm draped around her protectively, and he looked so cute when he was sleeping, the events of the previous night flooded back into her mind and she loved waking up next to Draco Malfoy. Not wanting to leave his embrace she turned slightly and began lazily drawing little rings around his chest until he woke up.  
Draco woke up to someone drawing circles on his chest. At first he was a bit startled, but when he looked down and saw who it was, he relaxed.  
  
"Morning gorgeous." He said softly to her before leaning down and kissing her gently on the lips.  
"Mm good morning beautiful." Hermione said slowly taking in the kiss and his scent that she just couldn't get enough of.  
"Beautiful?" he said  
"Mhm. What's the matter, never been called beautiful before?" she asked teasingly still resuming drawing little rings on his chest.  
"As a matter of fact, no, I haven't." He answered her thoughtfully.  
"Never?"  
"Never."  
"Not once?"  
"Well, now it's been once. By you."  
"Oh."  
Silence.  
"Why is that?" Hermione couldn't stand not knowing.  
"I don't know. I guess it's just sort of too 'high class' for me. I've been called sexy, gorgeous, handsome, and all those other things before, but never beautiful. I guess I've just never been beautiful before." Draco said chuckling a little as he looked down into Hermione's cinnamon eyes.  
"Oh but you're very beautiful to me." She said sitting up to kiss and she ran her hands through his already messy hair making it even messier.  
"Thank you. But I'm not as beautiful as you are." He replied after kissing her back and rubbing his hands up and down her body.  
There were a few moments of silence before he finally spoke again.  
"I'm gonna go take a shower." And he kissed her forehead and got out of her bed and walked out of her room to the shower they would be sharing for the next year.  
  
Hermione lay in her bed alone. Just thinking.  
'Wow. He's so amazing. I think I might actually.love him. No, I couldn't. It wouldn't be right. He would never love me back. Would he? Could he? No, he couldn't. Just as I can't love him. I can't allow myself to fall for him. Because if he didn't return my feelings I'd be crushed. No, I can't let him know how I feel. I can't. But there's no sense in passing up this weird passion or whatever we have for each other. I just won't fall in love with him. That's it. But he's so damn sexy and sweet. But he could never feel for me like I feel for him. He's probably just messing with me so he can get a good fuck and then move on with his life. Well two can play at that game.'  
Meanwhile, Draco was having thoughts of his own in the shower.  
'Damn her. Why does she have to be so perfect? Ah! I can't get her out of my head. Speaking of head.I still can't believe she did that last night. I would have never thought Granger had the balls to do it. Well I never thought I'd fall for Granger either. No. I'm not falling for her. I can't. Can I? No. Never. She'd never feel the same way. I bet she's just out to get a good fuck. And who better than me? Yeah, that's gotta be what she's up too. Why else would she all of a sudden be nice to me and comfort me and all that bullshit? She's got something up her sleeve. Or in her pants.I wouldn't mind being the one to find out what's down there. What am I saying? She's so kind and compassionate and sweet and pretty and caring, she wouldn't do a thing like that. Or would she? She has changed. Well I won't let her know my feelings but it takes two to people to fuck. One to do the fucking and the other to get fucked. She'll be the one getting fucked. And she'll scream my name.'  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The two very confused teenagers made their way down to the Great Hall and sat at their different tables, with their different friends, re-entering their completely different worlds. "Hey Herm." Ginny said cheerfully turning away from Harry as her best female friend sat down across from her, next to her disgustingly hungry brother. "Hey Gin, Harry, Ron." Hermione replied casually. Her eyes drifting toward the Slytherin table. Just as she found who she was searching for, her eyes met with his. It seems as though she wasn't the only one bored with her surroundings. Their eyes locked for a few seconds and the gaze was broken when Blaise Zabini nudged Malfoy in the side getting his attention. "Malfoy? So, how's it sharing a common room with Mudblood Granger?" Blaise said sounding not interested in what he himself had brought the conversation to. "Oh, uh not bad yet. I mean I don't talk to her unless I absolutely have to and she just stays in her room doing who knows what or reading at her desk in the common room." Draco answered fully lying, but he had become so good at it, that he didn't even half to think anymore when he wasn't going to tell the truth. "Oh, ya. Well I heard there's this new guy coming to school. He's supposed to be the new DADA professor. His name is Rick or something like that." "Oh?" Draco said raising his eyebrows and looking at his best friend for the first time since breakfast had started. "Rick? Is he old or what? Where'd he come from?" Draco asked. "I think its Rick at least that's what I heard. He's pretty young and he came from Gringotts." Blaise said looking up to the head table searching for a new face.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"So Herm," Ron began through a mouth full of blueberry pancakes. "Have you heard about the new DADA teacher? Well of course you have, you're Head Girl." "Oh. No actually I haven't heard anything about him. Who is he?" Hermione answered, wondering why she hadn't heard anything. Oh that's right, she was preoccupied with a certain blonde haired icy blue eyed Slytherin boy. "Yeah, he's only eighteen too. He's like as old as some of the seventh years." Harry entered into the conversation. "Yeah, I heard he used to work for Gringotts." Ginny said. And when she said Gringotts, Hermione's heart stopped. She thought, 'No, it can't be him. No. Why would he come here and especially teach DADA? No, well, he'd said he'd received top marks in it every year, but why all of a sudden? No, I'm just overreacting it can't be him.' She broke out of her thoughts to ask the question that would determine her worst nightmare. "What's his name?" she asked slowly. "Oh, Rick or something like that." Ron said nonchalantly. 'Shit.' Hermione thought, but then Ginny spoke: "No stupid, it's Nick. Honestly, don't you ever pay attention when anyone's talking?" Ginny said accusingly to Ron. "Oh right, Nick that's it Herm." Ron said grabbing the bowl of eggs and piling some onto his plate. 'Shit. It is him. Oh no, this can't be happening. Why?! Oh I've got to get out of here.' Hermione was thinking and then just as she got up to leave Dumbledore stood up and everyone grew quiet and Hermione was obliged to sit back down and listen to what her Headmaster had to say. "Good morning students!" He began, "I am pleased to inform you all that we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year. It most unfortunate that he could not be here last night for the welcome back feast, but he is here now, and I introduce to you all, Professor Stiles." Dumbledore finished with that ever present twinkle in his eyes and he sat down smiling as Nick Stiles stood up and everyone clapped respectfully. He was indeed very young, 18 in fact. And every girl in the Great Hall could not keep from staring at him. He was very handsome with his shaggy brown hair and his broad, finely toned body that could be seen because his robes fit him snugly showing off his muscles. He was also tall, he was 6'4 and there weren't many Hogwarts boys who could match 6'4. When the clapping subsided and Professor Stiles sat down everyone returned to their meals.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Ah Nick was his name. I was close." Zabini said to Malfoy.  
"Yeah, Nick. He looks like a great prat." Malfoy said as he watched Nick's eyes dance around the hall and fall onto one brown eyed, brown haired 7th year Gryffindor girl. Malfoy saw, that Nick's eyes were full of lust and longing and fire. Malfoy looked at Hermione, she looked ill and pale. He saw her sense someone staring at her and looked to the Head table, Malfoy followed her eyes. Hers met with Nick's and Malfoy saw her squirm in her seat uncomfortably as Nick winked at her and turned to talk with Professor Snape.  
'She knows him.' Malfoy thought. 'And he knows her. They have some kind of past or something. I wonder why she would be so uncomfortable around him. I must find out.'  
  
Being as it was a Saturday, the students did not have any classes and were free to do what they wanted until Monday, when all the lessons would begin again and homework and detentions would be assigned to groaning students. Everyone began filing out of the Great Hall to enjoy the rest of their Saturday. Hermione however, remained in her seat, much to the dismay of her three best friends.  
  
"C'mon, Herm, let's go outside. It's a great day all sunny and cool. Let's go." Ron was saying trying to hoax Hermione to come with them. "No, I'll catch up with you guys later. I'm still a little hungry so I'll just stay here. You guys go ahead." She answered. "Are you sure Herm?" Harry started, "we'll wait for you if you want us too. We really don't mind." "I'm sure, I'm fine. Go ahead I'll catch up with you later, I promise." And finally they left her in the Great Hall. The truth was, she wasn't hungry at all. And she had eaten hardly anything throughout breakfast. She just wanted to be alone. She needed to think. And Harry, Ginny, and Ron wouldn't understand. They would over react and be all protective and all that bullshit she hated about them. She could never tell them about Nick. She just needed to think. But shortly after her best friends had left, and it seemed as though she were the only one left in the Great Hall, Draco and Blaise, walked over to her flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. "Go ahead, I'll be a minute." Draco was saying to his friends. And they all nodded and headed out of the Great Hall. He sat down next to her and didn't speak. He just stared at her, into her eyes. Now they were the only two people left in the Great Hall. The teachers had all gone to prepare their lessons for the upcoming week. Hermione turned to see Draco sitting next to her. "Hi." She said after several moments of silence. "Hi." He replied. "How do you know that Nick guy?" "How do you-" but she was cut off. "I saw him staring at you and when you looked at him, he winked and you squirmed in your seat. So how do you know him?" He asked again. "Oh. I've known him for ages." She said unemotionally. She was not going to tell Draco what he did to her. She was not going to let Draco know that she was terrified to death of him and she was not going to let Draco know that she was slowly breaking on the inside because of what he had done to her. She would be strong. She would put it all aside, she would pretend it never happened.for as long as she could handle. "How?" He asked concerned. "He lived in my town. About ten minutes from my house in an apartment. We were best friends as little kids and we were as we grew up. That's all." "Then why does he send shivers up her spine every time he looks at you?" "He doesn't." "I think he does." "Well, your wrong." "Whatever you say." They looked at each other and their eyes locked for several minutes before she stood up and said, "I'm going up to the room. If you need me, that's where I'll be." And she got up and left, slowly, solemnly, brokenly.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Alright, what'd ya think? Ok, um for the next chapter and later on I'm adding some songs and stuff, they're supposed to be italicized and I'm not sure if they are or aren't. So if you're confused and you don't know what's going on, it's probably a song. There's gonna be the story too so don't worry, the songs are just to kind of, set the mood or whatever. I'll add little starts before and after. Hope you like. Keep reviewing!! Thanks!  
  
~jojo 


	5. Crash and Burn

Chapter 5: Crash and Burn  
  
* When you feel all alone  
  
And the world has turned its back on you  
  
Give me a moment please To tame your wild wild heart  
  
I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you It's hard to find relief And people can be so cold When darkness is upon door And you feel like you can't take anymore  
  
Let me be the one you call IF you jump I won't let you fall Lift you up and fly away with you into the night If you need to fall apart I can mend a broken heart If you need to crash then crash and burn your not alone  
  
When hopes and dreams are far away And you feel you can't face the day  
  
Let me be the one you call If you jump I won't let you fall Lift you up and fly away with you into the night If you need to fall apart I can mend a broken heart If you need to crash then crash and burn your not alone  
  
Cuz there has always been heartache and pain And when its over you'll breathe again You'll breathe again.  
  
When you feel all alone And the world has turned its back on you Give me a moment please To tame your wild wild heart  
  
Let me be the one you call If you jump I won't let you fall Lift you up and fly away with you into the night If you need to fall apart I can mend a broken heart If you need to crash then crash and burn your not alone *  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Draco watched her leave the Great Hall. He knew something was wrong.  
  
'Why won't we she just tell me damnit?! All I wanna do is help. Why does she gotta be so thick. Man I just don't understand girls. I can't bear to see her unhappy though. What the hell has that dickhead done to her? Why is she so secretive about it? Hm, if she won't tell me, maybe he will.' With that last thought, Draco Malfoy stood up and walked out of the Great Hall in search of his new DADA professor.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Hermione walked out of the Great Hall and up some stairs and then turned down a corridor and up some more stairs and down another corridor. She didn't know where she was going. And she really didn't care. She just felt like getting away from it all. She needed to be alone. She needed to be able to think in peace. But peace was the last thing she found as she got lost, deeper and deeper into the depths of the vast castle.  
Sensing someone following her, Hermione quickly turned around and drew her wand. No one was there. 'Oh well,' she thought, 'I'm just being paranoid. There's no one there.' And she kept walking. She turned down another corridor that was a little darker than the last one she had been walking down. She'd never been down here before. There weren't very many classrooms up here, but instead, a lot more pictures and paintings and such. The objects in the painting didn't look happy either. They all had grim faces and were all looking forlorn like they had lost something they could never regain. Hermione tensed up a bit. Feeling uneasy down this corridor. Just as she was about to turn into another corridor, someone grabbed her, putting a hand over her mouth so she couldn't scream, and picked her wand out of her pocket, then pulled her into an empty, very dusty, very old, classroom.  
"Sh, it's okay sweetheart, I'm not gonna hurt you, as long as you cooperate." The voice said as it locked the door and turned the dim lights on. The classroom was very dim, and there wasn't much light anywhere. The person let go of Hermione and turned her around.  
'Fuck.' She thought to herself.  
"What do you want Nick?" She asked angrily.  
"Isn't it obvious, love?" Nick Stiles said to her, moving closer to her and caressing one of his hands across her cheek.  
"No, it's not. Now could you leave me alone? I'm expected somewhere."  
"No your not. I watched you tell your friends you'd catch up, I watched you refuse to tell that boy who came and sat down next to what was bothering you. I followed you up here."  
"Damnit, Nick, what do you want?" She said more forceful this time raising her voice a tad.  
"I want you, love." He answered.  
"Well, sorry, but as you probably already know, teachers and students are not permitted to have physical or emotional relationships. And seeing as you're a teacher and I'm a student, it's not gonna happen. Not to mention the whole rape thing!" She spat angrily at him. And she tried to leave, but he blocked the door.  
"I'm well aware of the rules, love." He began, "And I did not rape you. You came into my room begging for it."  
"I did not! You bloody hell raped me! You bastard!" And she began hitting him but he grabbed her wrists and forced them down by her side.  
"Shut up you little bitch!" And he slapped her. "I did not rape you! Is that clear?" He lifted another hand to slap her again if she didn't agree. She slowly nodded her head, pressing a hand to her now red cheek. "Now, I've got a little proposition for you." Nick said slowly in more calm tone, and he released her other hand that he had been holding. He spoke again,  
"I saw the looks that you and that Slytherin kid were giving each other. And I know there's something going on between you. And I know you wouldn't dare cheat on me, now would you?"  
"Cheat on you?! What the hell are you talking about? I was never with you!"  
"Oh, but you were and are. You're mine, love. When you spent those couple of weeks with me, I grew to have feelings for you that were more than just friendly. And when I realized that you didn't return those feelings, I lost it. I couldn't have that. I had to have you. So when you came into my room, I claimed you as mine. You belong to me. You're my property, Hermione Granger. And you'll do what I tell you to do. Is that clear?"  
"You son of a bitch."  
He lunged at her, knocking her onto a very dusty desk and he crushed his lips against hers in a painful kiss. She tried to push him off of her but he was just too big and she wasn't near strong enough. He pulled back and stood up.  
"I'll be expecting better of you, love." He said.  
"To hell you will!" She spat angrily moving to the door. But he grabbed her arm and wheeled her around facing him, their faces inches away.  
  
"You'll do what I say."  
"What if I don't?"  
"You will."  
"I won't."  
"Fine, don't. See what happens to that Slytherin boy then. I'm very powerful. More powerful than you think."  
"What makes you think he means anything to me?"  
"I can read you like an open book."  
"Leave him out of this."  
"Ah. We're making progress. So you'll do what I say then."  
"What do you want."  
"I thought we had already cleared this up. I want you, love. I'll have you, whenever I want, and wherever I want. And you'll submit to me. You'll love me like I loved you. Or else your Slytherin friend won't be around much longer. So, whatever you've got going on with him, break it off. Or you'll be sorry." He placed another painful kiss on Hermione's lips and groped her chest roughly then left her in the dark room, alone.  
"Fuck." She said to herself. And she sat down against a wall with her knees up to her chest and she silently cried. Wishing the torment would just stop. But the worst has yet to come.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Draco was almost to Professor Stiles' office when he heard voice inside a classroom that had its door creaked open. He listened intently. It was McGonagall and Snape again.  
"Severus, please, now can we tell Albus?" McGonagall spoke.  
"Yes, alright I guess we can now. Now that we know Lucius has been up to no good." Snape said slowly.  
"We should let Draco know also. He deserves to know, it was his mother." McGonagall added.  
"Why does Draco need to know? Not now at least. It would come as a complete shock that his mother is dead." Snape said solemnly.  
Draco was outside in the hall listening.  
'Dead?' He thought. 'How can she be dead? What the fuck is going on?' He turned back to listen, McGonagall was speaking.  
"He needs to know. He'll find out sooner or later. Better that he knows the truth." She said.  
"The truth?! Minerva, his father killed his mother and is probably out to get him as well! He wouldn't be able to handle the truth!" Snape said vehemently.  
"Severus, calm down. I think he can handle more than you're giving him credit for. He's a strong young man. He can handle it. After all he's been through in the past, I think he'll be able to handle this." McGonagall said quietly to her colleague.  
Draco couldn't listen anymore. His father had murdered his mother, and could possibly be looking to murder him too. What the fuck is happening. He left the corridor quickly, forgetting why he had been up there in the first place and he walked with a quick step back to his common room.  
When he got there, he stepped inside the brilliant room and sank down on the couch in front of the fire.  
"Bloody fucking hell." He said out loud to himself. He sat there for staring into the flames for a couple of hours at least. He knew he'd missed lunch. But he didn't care. He had too many things going on inside his head. And he had no one to turn now. His mother was gone, he sure as hell couldn't talk to his father, he couldn't tell his friends, because they wouldn't give a damn. He couldn't talk to Snape. Hell Snape didn't even want him to find out about it. There was only one person in his mind that he thought would listen. But at the moment, she had some problems of her own to deal with. So he did the only thing he could think of doing, he sat there. On the couch staring into the fire, lost in his thoughts, until he fell asleep.  
  
Hermione picked herself up off the floor. She looked at her watch, it said 2:27 pm. She had missed lunch. Harry and Ron and Ginny were probably worried sick about her. But she didn't give a damn. She made her way slowly back to her common room. Once she had reached the portrait of a lost little boy and girl she said the password and entered into her common room.  
She saw Draco sitting on the couch, his head back on the top of the couch and his mouth open and eyes closed. He was sleeping. She smiled a little to herself and she walked over to him and sat down next to him wrapping her arms around his middle and snuggling into him. She fell asleep like that, savoring probably the last time that she would be this close to him.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The song was Crash and Burn by Savage Garden. Hope you liked this chapter. Keep reviewing. The next one will be up soon. Unless I don't get reviews.  
  
~jojo 


	6. Goodbye

Chapter 6: Goodbye  
  
* Of all the things I've believed in  
I just wanna get it over with  
Tears form behind my eyes but I do not cry  
Counting the days that pass me by  
I've been searching deep down in my soul  
Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old  
Feels like I'm starting all over again  
  
And I said  
Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything that I knew  
You were the one I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold onto  
  
I can still get lost in your eyes  
And it seems that I can't live a day without you  
Closing my eyes and you chase my thoughts away  
To a place where I am blinded by the light  
But it's not right  
  
Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything that I knew  
You were the one that I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold onto  
  
And it hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time  
I want what yours and what's mine  
I want you but I'm not giving in this time  
  
Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything that I knew  
You were the one I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold onto  
The one thing that I tried to hold onto  
  
Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything that I knew  
You were the one I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold onto  
The one thing that I tried to hold onto  
  
And when the stars fall  
I will lie awake  
You're my shooting star *  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Draco woke with Hermione wrapped around him. He looked down at her.  
'She's so beautiful. When she's around I can forget all my troubles.  
She makes everything alright. She makes me ok. She makes me alive.  
Damn, without her I'd be lost.' Hermione stirred. Draco wrapped an arm  
around her after grabbing a blanket that was draped across the back of  
the couch. He pulled it around the both of them. He just kept staring  
at her. He could never get enough of her. After several minutes, she  
woke up and looked into eyes.  
"Hi." She said smiling.  
"Hey you." He said as a small smile crept onto his face.  
"What have you been doing today?" Hermione said trying to make chit  
chat.  
"Nothing, I missed lunch. Did you eat?"  
"No."  
"Oh? Why not?"  
"I wasn't hungry."  
"Okay."  
Moments of silence.  
"Draco?"  
"Yes?"  
"We can't keep playing this game."  
"What game?"  
"This game, with our feelings. With you and me, I mean it has to  
stop."  
"Oh, that game."  
"Yeah."  
"Why?"  
"It just has to. I can't stand to get hurt, and I can't let you get  
hurt either."  
"Hermione, I would never hurt you. I'd never let anyone hurt you."  
"Draco, please. Can we just end it, before we get in over our heads  
and we end up hurt?"  
"If that's what you really want."  
"It's not." She said slowly and solemnly. "But it's the only way."  
"Is it?"  
"As far as I can see it is."  
"I don't want to lose you."  
"Neither do I. But I have to let you go. Please, just forget about  
me?" And she got up and walked to her room, tears streaming down her  
face. Draco remained on the couch. He wasn't ready for that.  
Everything he held onto was just taken from him in one blow. He had  
nothing left. He had nothing left to live for. She was gone. But he  
wouldn't let her leave.  
'Forget about her?! How the hell am I supposed to do that when I've  
fallen in love with her? How the hell did I fall in love with her after  
two fucking days?' he thought to himself.  
  
Hermione lay on her bed silently crying, trying to restrain her tears.  
Trying to figure out why all this was happening. When she couldn't cry  
anymore tears, she said out loud to herself, "Well this year has started  
out well." And she threw her pillow at the door and fell into a very  
uneasy sleep.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
Hey! Sorry this one's so short. But it deserved a place of it's own. I  
couldn't put it with the next chapter because well, it just wouldn't  
work. So review. Let me know what you're thinking. The next chapter  
will be longer I promise. Oh, song was Goodbye to You by Michelle  
Branch.  
  
~jojo 


	7. The Way It Should Be

Chapter 7: The Way It Should Be  
  
Draco did as Hermione had asked him to do. He left her alone and  
tried to forget about her. But try as he might, he couldn't. He had let  
himself do what he swore he wouldn't, he'd fallen for her and he'd fallen  
hard. The next couple of weeks went by slowly for everyone, Draco  
especially. Hermione was in almost all of his classes and she looked  
like she always did. Calm, reposed, relaxed, and beautiful. He on the  
other hand, looked worse than ever. He didn't gel his hair anymore, his  
shirt was always un-tucked, his tie was never tight, he looked as if he  
hadn't slept in a fortnight, was paler than ever, and barely ate. To top  
it off, his grades were slipping. He was slowly wasting away without  
her. No one really seemed to notice these minor changes in him, except  
the girls of Hogwarts, who thought that when his hair wasn't gelled back  
he looked even more appealing, and his un-tucked shirt and loosened tie,  
sent off a sort of rebel look about him that drove the girls wild. He  
didn't take notice of any of the girls though. He could have had any one  
of them, or all of them for that matter. But he only wanted one. And he  
couldn't have her.  
  
Hermione, although she looked normal on the outside, was a complete wreck  
on the inside. She was nervous all the time, she didn't talk to anyone,  
she was always alert and frightened, full of fear. She desperately  
missed Draco. She wanted more than anything in the world to be with  
Draco. But she knew she couldn't be with him. She tried to forget him.  
But she couldn't. Nick made her problems worse. He would call her to  
his office after lessons or even sometimes in between lessons, and he  
used her for a quick sex relief. He was rough with her, and sometimes he  
even left bruises. In fact, when he was feeling angry or stressed he  
would take it out on her, beating her, throwing things at her, calling  
her harsh names. He all around, flat out abused her in every way  
possible. But he made sure she covered herself up. If anyone had found  
out about what he was doing, he'd be out of Hogwarts and surely sent to  
Azkaban for who knows how long.  
As the weeks turned to months, September faded into October and  
October slowly progressed to its end.  
All the students were happy that Halloween was on it's way and just  
around the corner, because with Halloween, came the Halloween ball.  
Everyone was in high spirits. Everyone that is, except two damaged  
students. They never spoke, except when necessary about planning things  
such as the ball.  
"So what should the theme be?" Draco asked one night while they were  
in the common planning the Halloween ball the Friday before the actual  
dance.  
"Um, I don't know. How bout, masquerade?" Hermione answered  
thoughtfully.  
"Yeah, that's good. But it's so played out. Can't we think of  
something original?"  
"Yeah, true. Hm, let's think."  
So they sat there, in silence. Both thinking, but neither about the  
ball.  
'She's so beautiful. What did I do to lose her? I have to get her  
back. I can't bear being without her. I was happy. She was happy. But  
it was just two days. Just two days. Two amazing days.' Draco thought  
while staring at her.  
'I miss him so much. He looks terrible. He's so thin now, but still  
gorgeous. I bet he still has that six pack. Oh I'd kill if I could just  
ravage him right now. No. I can't. He'd never think of me like he did  
again. Not after what I did to him. He must think I'm awful now. Oh I  
can't stand to be without him.' Hermione was thinking but was broken out  
of her thoughts as Draco spoke.  
"Why don't we just go with masquerade? It'll be easy and everyone will  
love dressing up."  
"Yeah, good idea." She said and she started to write it down on a  
piece of parchment that had other ball notes and things on it. The  
sleeve of her robe fell back a little as she reached over to get more ink  
on her quill. Draco took notice of the nasty bruises on her forearm and  
grabbed her wrist. She winced in pain.  
"Sorry," he said releasing his grip. I didn't mean to hurt you, are  
you ok?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine, she said pulling her sleeve down to cover her arm.  
"No you're not, let me see." He said getting up from his desk and  
walking around to her. She slowly set her arm down on her desk and Draco  
carefully pulled the sleeves of her robe back, revealing the green and  
purple bruises on her arm.  
"What the hell?" He said in shock, running a finger along her skin.  
"It's nothing really. It's not as bad as it looks."  
"Not as bad as it looks? What happened to you?"  
"Nothing. Ok? I'm fine." He sighed and went to sit back down. Once  
he was seated he started speaking again.  
"Hermione, tell me. What have you been doing to yourself? Or.who's  
been doing this to you? Who is he? I'll kill him."  
"No, Draco, please."  
"DAMNIT HERMIONE!" he yelled banging his fist on the desk causing her  
jump a little. "Why the fuck won't you tell me anything?"  
She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't cry. She was not going get all  
emotional about it. She was not going to break down in front of him like  
this. She would contain her composure.  
A single tear slid down her cheek. Draco reached over and wiped it  
away with his thumb. Hermione took a huge breath and sighed, before  
speaking.  
"I'm just trying to keep you from getting hurt."  
"Keep me from getting hurt? What the hell? You're the one hurting  
me! Can't you see that?" he said angrily.  
"Draco, I-" There was a tapping against the window. They both looked  
at the window next to the bookcase. Draco got up and went over to open  
it. A small black owl flew in and landed in front Hermione. It dropped  
a letter in her lap and flew back out the window. Draco walked over to  
her. She opened the letter and read it, Draco reading it over her  
shoulder.  
  
Miss Granger,  
I have a question regarding the last paper you turned in about the  
Unforgivable Courses. Please come to my office as soon as possible.  
Your grade is at stake here.  
  
Sincerely,  
Professor Stiles  
  
Hermione's eyes widened as she finished the short letter. She slowly stood up and walked to the entrance of the room, Draco had finally put the pieces together. This wasn't the first note she'd received from Professor Stiles. In fact she received at least 2 a week. So that was why she didn't want to be with him any longer. She was fucking the DADA teacher. It all made sense now.  
"So that's why you turned me away?" He said angrily walking over to her. "Because you'd rather fuck your teacher. Real classy Granger. Real classy."  
"Draco, no, it's not what you think." She said with pain and anguish in her voice.  
"No?"  
"No, let me explain."  
"Fuck off."  
Her heart dropped. Then it broke in two. So that was it. That's how he felt. He wouldn't even hear her out. He was just going to be an asshole and accuse her of something she didn't do. Well, in truth, she was actually fucking her teacher. But not because she wanted to, because she was forced to. She was being controlled by, she was controlled by fear and she couldn't hurt Draco. She shook her head and turned around then walked out of the common room to see what Nick wanted. Although she already knew exactly what he wanted.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Ah, Hermione, nice of you to stop by." Nick said in a friendly voice.  
"Just get this over with." She said barely audible.  
"Oh but I want this time to last. And since it's a Friday, you'll be spending the night with me." He said with a cocky grin on his face.  
"Just great." She said with a fake smile on her face.  
They walked out of Nick's office to his room. Once they were there, he roughly threw Hermione on his bed and began roughly kissing her everywhere. She just lay there, almost comatose. Usually when he did this, she pretended, she went along with him, but she couldn't do it this time. Not now. She'd had enough. She couldn't bear it anymore. Nick wasn't gonna take that. He yelled at her.  
"WHAT THE FUCK HERMIONE?!?!" he slapped her hard across the face. Blood slowly slipped out of the corner of her mouth. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! CMON GET INTO IT! QUIT LAYING THERE LIKE A STUPID BITCH!"  
She just lay there. Staring into his cold hatred eyes. She wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. He slapped her again. He was going to again, but she rolled over and he missed. She hopped out of his bed and grabbed his wand from his night table and shouted  
"STUPEFY!" at him as he came towards her. He fell to the floor and she threw his wand carelessly to the floor. She walked out of his room and started running for her common room. She didn't want to run into anybody and have them see her like she was. Her hair was messed up, blood was spilling from her mouth and her cheek was burning bright red and hurt like hell. She reached the portrait of the lost little boy and girl and muttered the password and collapsed onto the floor as she stepped into her common room. She pulled her knees up to her chest and began sobbing quietly.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
After she left, Draco was completely pissed off. He couldn't believe she was screwing the DADA teacher. 'So that had been her secret. That's why she wouldn't tell him about them. But then, where did the bruises come from? Maybe she wasn't fucking Nick after all, or maybe she was, but she was being forced to or else he hit her. Why that fucking bastard! I'll kill him for touching her.' Draco became even more angry as this theory crossed his mind. As he stepped out of the shower, he put on his boxers and a tight black wife beater undershirt and headed to his room. But when he was in the hallway from the bathroom to his room, he heard crying. He walked down the stairs to the common room and saw, hunched on the ground by the entrance, Hermione. And she was crying. He jogged over to her, feeling nothing but compassion and love at the moment. He sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him tightly and quietly sobbed into his chest. "Sh, it's ok. I'm here now. It's gonna be alright. He can't hurt you anymore. I'm here. Sh." He said rubbing her back consolingly. After several minutes of sitting like that, Hermione's tears had subsided and she looked into Draco's eyes. "How can you care? After that row we just had? How can you possibly still care? I was horrible to you." She asked slowly and quietly. "Because. I realized what an ass I was to you. And I didn't give you a chance to explain. And I know you weren't doing whatever the hell you were doing because you wanted to. And I know that from now on, Nick won't every hurt you again. Because I'm here now." Draco said just as quietly as Hermione had spoken. "Oh Draco. It was awful. He used me. Like a sex toy. It was horrible. I hate him. I hate the smell, the touch, the thought of him. It's all enough to drive me crazy." "Why'd you do it then? Why didn't you just tell me?" "I couldn't. He said, he said he'd kill you. And I couldn't live without you being here, even if I couldn't be with you. I couldn't live without seeing you."  
"Hermione, I." He said but stopped and thought, 'No, I can't let her know, not yet. She probably doesn't feel the same way back. No, not yet.'  
  
"What?" She said and rested her head against his chest. "Nothing." He said. He picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. He sat her down on the sink and went over to turn the taps on in the giant Jacuzzi. As the water was filling up the tub, he gingerly helped Hermione undress to her underwear. When had nothing on but her panties and bra, he kissed her on the cheek and turned to leave her to her bath.  
"Draco, wait." She began. And he turned around.  
"Mhm?" He said smiling as he faced her.  
"Thanks."  
"Anytime."  
Just as he got to the door she spoke again.  
"Draco, one more thing."  
"Yes?"  
"Don't go."  
"I would never leave you." He said walking back over to her, kissing her on the lips. She wrapped her around his neck and played with his hair as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him.  
'This is how it should be.' Draco thought as he broke the kiss to remove Hermione's remaining clothes.  
He undid her bra, and slid down her panties and she took off his shirt and slid his boxers down. He picked her up and carried her into the now full of warm water and lots of colorful bubbles filled Jacuzzi tub. Then got in beside her. They kissed once more and he wrapped his arms around her protectively and she wrapped her arms across his stomach and rested her head on his chest.  
All Draco could do was stare at the beauty he was holding onto and feel nothing but love for her. He would do anything for her. He'd be there whenever she needed him, he'd be hers.  
'This is how it should be.' Hermione thought to herself, closing her eyes.  
  
* The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful  
  
Stop me and steal my breath  
  
Emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky  
  
Never revealing their depth  
  
Tell me that we belong together  
  
Dress it up with the trappings of love  
  
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips  
  
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above  
  
And I'll be your crying shoulder  
  
I'll be loves suicide  
  
I'll be better when I'm older  
  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life  
  
Rain falls angry on the tin roof  
  
As we lie awake in my bed  
  
You're my survival, you're my living proof  
  
My love is alive not dead  
  
Tell me that we belong together  
  
Dress it up with the trappings of love  
  
I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips  
  
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above  
  
And I'll be your crying shoulder  
  
I'll be loves suicide  
  
I'll be better when I'm older  
  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life  
  
And I've dropped out, burned up, fought my way back from the dead  
  
Tuned in, turned on, remembered the thing that you said  
  
And I'll be your crying shoulder  
  
I'll be loves suicide  
  
I'll be better when I'm older  
  
I'll be the greatest fan of your  
  
I'll be your crying shoulder  
  
I'll be loves suicide  
  
I'll be better when I'm older  
  
I'll be the greatest fan of your life  
  
The greatest fan of your life  
  
The greatest fan of your life * 


	8. The Glory of Love

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
Okay this has a full lemon in it. Uhm I wrote it cause someone asked me too. If you don't want anymore of them let me know and I won't add anymore. I don't think I write these very good. So, I'm sorry about that. Anyways, on with the story!  
  
Chapter 8: The First Time  
  
It was Saturday morning. About 10 am. Draco opened his eyes to  
Hermione staring up at him. He smiled.  
"Hey you." He said kissing her lightly on the lips.  
"Hey beautiful." She answered him with a smile.  
"How are you feeling?" He asked concernedly.  
"Better." She said rubbing a hand over the bruise on her cheek.  
"That's good." He said, again kissing her more passionately. Then he  
fell silent just gazing into her eyes.  
"Hey, did you ever find out what McGonagall and Snape were talking  
about that first night?" As she said that, he became full of sadness and  
a small sense of regret washed over him for not being there for his  
mother. For not being able to help her, to protect her from Lucius.  
"Yeah, I did." He said slowly full of anguish. "Lucius murdered my  
mother and he might possibly be out to get me." As he finished he looked  
down at Hermione, her hand was covering her mouth and her eyes were full  
of worry.  
"Oh my god. I'm so sorry."  
"It's ok. I'm just sorry I wasn't there to help her."  
"Do you know why?"  
"I have no idea. But he's not gonna get me. That's all I have to say  
about it, so let's not talk about it anymore." As Draco finished  
speaking he turned his head away from Hermione and stared out his window.  
It was a clear day outside and not a cloud could be seen from Draco's  
window. There was a good-sized balcony on the other side of the glass  
door window. It had a squashy couch that sat against the wall of the  
castle and looked out onto the grounds and there were two chairs  
surrounding a little table where one could sit and do homework. He  
turned back to Hermione. She was still staring into his eyes. They  
were full of grief. She simply took his hand in hers and squeezed it  
tightly smiling softly up at him. He smiled back and kissed her gently  
on the lips.  
"What would I do without you?" he asked her softly.  
"I have no idea." And as she said that she reached over Draco and  
over the side of the bed and grabbed his shirt off the floor that was  
there from the night before. She put it on (it was much too big for her  
as Draco is a lot taller and broader than she is) and slowly walked out  
of his room to the bathroom with a mischievous glint in her eye.  
Chuckling lightly to himself, he got of bed and pulled his black satin  
boxers on and followed Hermione to the bathroom. When he got there she  
was already stepping into the shower that was behind the giant Jacuzzi.  
She heard him come in and turned around to watch him take his boxers off  
and she left the door open for him to join her. Draco walked slowly over  
to the shower and stepped in, closing the door behind him.  
"It's about time. At first I thought you'd leave me to take a shower  
all by myself." Hermione said pretending be mad.  
"I would never leave you." He said kissing her neck and wrapping his  
arms around her waist pulling her closer to him, her back against his  
front.  
"Good." She said grabbing her bottle of body wash from a ledge and  
squeezing some into Draco's hands. He rubbed his hands together with the  
body wash in it and began gently rubbing Hermione's stomach and up her  
chest and her neck. When he had gotten to her neck she turned around and  
reached for his body wash and poured some into her hands and rubbed it up  
and down his strong firm chest and toned stomach.  
Once they had finished rubbing body wash over each other, Draco leaned  
down to kiss Hermione on the lips and she wrapped her hands around his  
neck and he put his arms around her waist pulling her so close to him  
that his now full erection was just mere centimeters away from her  
entrance. He looked into her eyes silently asking for permission and he  
found it. He pushed her up against the wall and she wrapped her legs  
around his middle and he entered her and she tightened her grip on his  
neck, gasping. His hands were under her thighs holding her up. As he  
was slowly going in and out of her, he was rubbing his thumbs against her  
thighs trying to help her relax. As he kept going, he sped up a little  
and Hermione let out a soft moan. And Draco was thinking,  
'Wow. This is great. Better than I'd expected. She's so tense though,  
she just needs to relax. Whatever, she's perfect. I can't believe how  
much I love her. If only she felt the same way. Her neck looks lonely,  
I think I'll kiss it.' And he started kissing her neck and licking it.  
She gave another soft moan, her breathing was getting heavier and her  
thoughts were going wild,  
'Oh my god, Draco Malfoy and me. Oh this is so good, I never want it to  
end. He feels so good. I just love him so much. I wish I could tell  
him. Oh this is just perfect.'  
Feeling her climax, Draco pulled out of her and kissed her lips several  
times. They ended their shower with a really long passionate kiss that  
was broken only when they both had run out of air. Draco got out of the  
shower first and handed Hermione a towel and then he reached for one for  
himself. They dried off and Hermione with the towel wrapped around her,  
walked to her room and put some clothes on as Draco did the same.  
Hermione thought to herself as she lay down on her bed for a few moments  
recapping what had happened that morning and just thinking.  
'Oh that was amazing. I can't believe it actually happened though. Wow.  
That was real, it was passionate, it was pure, it was wonderful. Unlike  
anything with Nick. Oh, Nick. Shit what am I going to do. He'll surely  
try something after what I did to him last night. Well, I just have to  
be more careful and on the lookout that way he can't do anything. I  
really need to talk to Ginny. But I wanna spend the day with Draco. I  
want to be with him so bad.'  
So getting up, she walked to her drawer and put on some panties and a bra  
and then walked over to her closet and put on some jeans and a black t  
shirt. While Draco was getting dressed, he too was thinking,  
'Man she's everything I could ever ask for. I want her to be mine. I  
wanna be with her all the time. If only she could ever feel for me like  
I do her. She'll probably return to being bitchy to me and run back to  
Pothead and Weasel. Since she got what she wanted and all. Damn I hope  
I'm wrong. I can't live without her. How did I get myself into this?'  
Draco finished dressing and went down to the common room to read.  
After half an hour of reading in solitude, Hermione came downstairs from  
her room and sat next to Draco on the couch in the common room. She lay  
her head down on his shoulder and stared into the fire.  
"Hermione." Draco began.  
"Yes?"  
"Something's been bothering me."  
"What is it?"  
"It's kind of hard to say."  
"You can tell me."  
He took a deep sigh and grabbed her hand and placed it in his. She  
squeezed it consolingly.  
"You and me. What's going on? Is this just some game? Or is it real,  
is it going to happen? I mean, could we really be together?"  
"Oh. Well, I, I don't know. It's not a game to me, is it to you?"  
"No."  
"To me, it's been as real as everything else in my life."  
Moments of silence passed.  
"Do you want us to be together, Hermione?"  
"More than anything."  
"Yeah, me too." So the two sat there awhile, before finally getting up  
around noon to go down to the Great Hall for lunch. They were both very  
hungry since neither one of them hadn't had breakfast.  
They walked all the way down to the Great Hall, hand in hand in a  
peaceful silence. But once they reached the Great Hall, Draco kissed  
Hermione on the cheek and walked over to the Slytherin table leaving  
Hermione to walk down to the Gryffindor table and sit next to her 3 best  
friends. At the Slytherin table Draco was welcomed by his best friend,  
Blaise Zabini.  
"Where ya been Malfoy?" Blaise questioned as Draco took a seat across from him.  
"It's Saturday, what else would I be doing?" Malfoy answered with a smirk.  
"Well, Pansy was with Millicent all day." Blaise said jokingly to his friend.  
"Very funny. Shut up Zabini." Malfoy said piling some food onto his plate. He hadn't had a proper meal in a few months and he was really hungry and actually wanted to eat.  
"I see your appetite is back. Man you were getting so scrawny I wouldn't have been surprised if Potter kicked your ass." Zabini said through a mouthful of chicken.  
"Ya well, at least I'm not going to look Crabbe and Goyle, I've seen all the shit you eat." Malfoy replied. "And Potter, could never kick my ass."  
"Whatever you say man. And I'll never look like those two dumbasses." Zabini answered shooting a glance at Crabbe and Goyle who were practically inhaling every piece of food in front of them.  
"Haha ya."  
"So, what's got you in a good mood all of a sudden? A good fuck?" Zabini questioned.  
"What else?"  
"Who?"  
"No one you know."  
"Tell me."  
"No."  
"Tell me."  
"Fuck man! I'm not gonna tell you."  
"Alright. Whatever. But since we're on the subject, you know who's been looking pretty good lately?"  
"No, who?"  
"That Granger chick. You know the one always with Potter and Weasley?"  
"Oh. Uh, well, I don't think she'd go for a guy like you. I mean, she's got Pothead and Weasel to fuck all she wants." As Draco said that, he felt a little uneasy at saying those things about Hermione, but he also felt that it was half-true. But there was no way in hell he'd let Zabini screw around with his Hermione. Hell, he wouldn't let any guy screw around with her.  
"Ya true, but I'd sure like to get a piece of that."  
Draco didn't say anything or even look at his friend. Instead he glanced over to Hermione at the Gryffindor table. She was talking with Ginny Weasley. The youngest of the family.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Hey Gin." Hermione whispered into Ginny's ear.  
"Yeah?"  
"I really need to talk to you in private. It's something personal."  
"Sure thing Herm. How about your common room after we finish eating? Or will Malfoy be there?"  
"No, I don't think he'll be in there. And if he is we can go up to my room."  
"Alright."  
"Man why do you two always have to whisper to each other in front of me and Harry?" Ron said getting a little annoyed.  
"Oh, Ron shut up. It's not like you and Harry never whisper to each other in front of me and Ginny." Hermione said back at Ron with a smirk.  
"Help me out here Harry." Ron said giving Harry a look of confusion and annoyance.  
"Well, she's got you there Ron. Nothing I can do. Hey Ginny you wanna take a walk with me?"  
"No thanks Harry, me and Hermione have some things to catch up on. I'll catch up with you later. Hermione I'm finished are you?"  
"Yeah, I'm done. See you guys later." She leaned over and kissed both boys on the cheek then got up to catch up with Ginny who had already started walking out of the Great Hall.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
'Damn, why them? Why do they have to be her fucking friends? Why the hell does she have to kiss them goodbye? What the fuck. Well, looks like I'll just have to love her from afar since she obviously doesn't feel the same for me.'  
"Hey Malfoy." Zabini said breaking Draco out of his thoughts of contempt.  
"What?"  
"You done eating yet? C'mon let's go."  
"Oh, yea I'm done." And with that the two boys got up and left the Great Hall heading towards the dungeons where the Slytherin common room was.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Ok, Herm, what did you need to tell me?"  
"Hold on." Hermione went over to Draco's room to see if he was there then she went down to the common room to see if he had come in since her and Ginny had, but he hadn't. So they could talk freely.  
"Ok, let's go down to the common room. It's more comfortable down there and Draco's not here. So he won't overhear."  
"Alright." Ginny said and followed her friend down the stairs into the living area. "So spill."  
"Well, promise you won't get mad no matter what? And promise me you won't tell Ron or Harry. They can't find out."  
"Alright, alright, I promise. Tell me!"  
"Ok, well, me and Draco have been having this weird, well I guess you could call it a relationship, and I'm not sure exactly what's going on."  
"Oh, Malfoy eh? I figured something was up with you two. He's so gorgeous Herm! So what's the problem?"  
"Well, I think he really cares for me sometimes, but then other times I can't tell. And well, I had a really bad day yesterday, and when I came back to the common room he comforted me and made me feel a whole lot better."  
"Hermione you didn't!"  
"No! Ginny! Oh, no!"  
"Oh, ok, actually it wouldn't be that bad. I can imagine it."  
"Ginny!"  
"Sorry. Harry, Harry, Harry playing quidditch. Alright, I'm fine now."  
"Good. Well, we didn't last night anyway."  
"Oh my god Herm! How was it? How was he? When then? Oh my god, this morning! So that's why you weren't at breakfast!"  
"Ginny!"  
"What? C'mon. So what's the problem?"  
"Well, ok you know the new DADA teacher? Professor Stiles?"  
"Yeah, what about him?"  
"He used to be my best friend. He lived in my neighborhood and I spent some of the summer with him after I left my parents house. Well, the night before I came to Hogwarts, he raped me."  
"Herm. Oh my god." And Ginny leaned over and gave her friend a comforting hug, not really knowing what else to say or do. So she just listened.  
"Yeah, well and when he came here, he found me and was well, using me."  
"That must have been awful! Why didn't you report him?!"  
"I couldn't Ginny! He had seen me and Draco, and he threatened me by threatening to hurt Draco and I couldn't let him do that. But I couldn't take his stupid game anymore so I stunned him last night and came back here, and Draco found me on the floor crying."  
"Oh. Why are you telling me this?"  
"Because, after what I did to him, he's going to try to get to me somehow, or get to Draco, and I'm scared. I don't know what to do. I needed to tell someone."  
"Oh Hermione, that's just awful. Well, I won't leave you alone and I'll make sure Harry and Ron don't either. They'll protect you."  
"No Ginny, they can't know. I don't want them to find out what he did to me. They've both got enough things going on right now. Just let me know if you sense something suspicious or anything like that. You promise?"  
"Well.."  
"Promise me Ginny."  
"Oh alright, I promise."  
"Thanks, you're the best."  
"No problem. So what's the problem with Draco?"  
"Well, I don't know how he feels about me. And I don't know what I can do without having Nick, that's Professor Stiles, seeing us. I just don't want to hurt Draco."  
"Well, maybe you should just be with him in secret. You know, nothing happens in public, act like you don't like each other, that shouldn't be too hard."  
"Yeah, that could work. I really need to talk to Draco." So the two girls kept talking and catching up about different things such as Harry and Ron and what they had been up to and the ball coming up and all sorts of things. And Ginny ended up telling Hermione that Ron and Lavender had been seeing each other. A lot. Finally, Ginny got up and went to the Gryffindor common room in search of Harry. Hermione stayed in the her common room, but went over to the giant bookcase, and pulled Hogwarts A History off one of the shelves and lay back down on the couch and read until she fell asleep the book open on her chest.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Oh man! Did you see Granger eating at lunch?" Zabini asked excitedly  
as he and Draco reached the Slytherin common room. It was empty.  
"Yeah, I noticed her. Why?"  
"Did you see her drinking?"  
"I didn't pay much attention, why?"  
"Damn I'd like to be the one she's sucking on instead of that straw  
she was using." And that was it. Draco's feelings for her were just too  
strong for him to let Blaise talk about her like that.  
"Shut the fuck up Zabini!" He yelled throwing a book that was on a  
side table at him.  
"What the hell man?" Blaise said catching the book. "I thought you  
hated her? Why are you getting so pissed off about this? It's not like  
you wanna fuck her. Or do you?" Blaise finished speaking thoughtfully.  
"Just don't talk about her like that alright?!"  
"Not until you tell me why."  
"It's none of your damn business."  
"Well fine, then I'll just go look for her and see if I can get some  
action."  
"To hell you will. Why can't you just leave her alone?"  
"Why should I?!"  
"Because she's going through a lot of shit right now and she doesn't  
need a bastard like you trying to get in her pants!" Draco stood up and  
walked out of the common room, heading towards his own, leaving a very  
angry and confused friend behind.  
"To hell I will. Who's he to tell me not to go for her? What the  
fuck is his problem anyway?" Blaise said out loud to himself after Draco  
left. He got up slowly and went to look for Hermione.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Draco sulked down the corridors until he reached the portrait of the  
lost little boy and girl. Just as he was about to mutter the password  
someone lurking in the corridor shouted,  
"CRUCIO!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
* As we're both lying here There's so many things i wanna say  
  
I will always love you I will never leave you alone Sometimes i just forget,  
  
Say things i might regret It breaks my heart to see you crying  
  
I don't want to lose you I could never make it alone  
  
Cause i am the man who will fight for your honor I'll be the hero  
  
That you're dreaming of Gonna live forever knowing together  
  
That we did it all for the glory of love  
  
You keep me standing tall You help me through it all I'm always strong when you're beside me  
  
I have always needed you  
  
I could never make it alone...  
  
It's like a knight in shining armor from a long time ago  
  
Just in time i'll save the day take you to my castle far away *  
  
AHUTOR'S NOTE:  
  
Cliffy!!!! Mwahahahaha review and I'll post the next chapter. Do you like the songs? Or are they just annoying the hell out of you? If so, tell me and I'll stop using them. 


	9. With Pain Comes Happiness

Chapter 9: With Pain Comes Happiness  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Draco sulked down the corridors until he reached the portrait of the lost little boy and girl. Just as he was about to mutter the password someone lurking in the corridor shouted,  
"CRUCIO!"  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Ahhh!!!" Draco screamed as he fell to the ground. His body was  
twitching and a horrendous pain was shooting through his whole body. He  
couldn't do anything. All he could feel was pain. Sure he'd been under  
the Cruciatus Curse before, but it hurt like hell every single time and  
this time was no different. He was helpless against his torturer.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Hermione awoke suddenly to the sound of someone screaming. She bolted upright and went stepped outside of the portrait hole and into the hallway.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
'Stop, please stop.' Draco was thinking. 'Hermione, Hermione, if I could just see her face everything would be okay. Fuck please stop.'  
But the villain didn't stop. He kept his wand pointed and his concentration was fixed on his target, lying helpless on the ground before him.  
"DRACO!" Hermione screamed as she realized what was happening.  
Draco slowly and painfully turned his head and saw Hermione with a look of horror on her face...but he saw her face. With all his might he reached inside his pocket for his wand but he wasn't fast enough.  
Lucius turned as he heard Hermione scream. He pointed his wand at her and shouted "STUPEFY!" Hermione flew back and hit the portrait behind her and sunk to the ground.  
With the concentration broken and his father distracted, Draco with his wand ready, stood up and cried "CRUCIO!" with his mind completely focused on the destruction of father and avenging what he had done to Hermione. Draco didn't care that he was bleeding profusely and he ignored the fact that he could barely see through his weary and pain-stricken eyes.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
As Blaise Zabini was walking down a corridor heading toward the heads common room, he heard a loud cry, then another loud cry and then as he got closer he heard someone shout stupefy then as he came upon the sight, he saw Draco utter an unforgivable curse at his father, Lucius Malfoy. He saw Hermione lying there unconscious and then he saw the look of pure hatred and contempt on Draco's face and he ran to get a teacher.  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Go on boy, finish me off. Go ahead, do it." Lucius spat at his son. He wasn't stronger than Draco, but he had a higher level of tolerance of pain than him, and the Cruciatus curse didn't have the effect on him Draco hoped it would. Lucius remained on the ground but he wasn't thriving as much as Draco had and he wasn't feeling as much pain, he could have stood up if he had wanted too, but he didn't.  
"No, I'm not going to kill you. Because I'm not like you and I never will be." With those words said, Draco stunned Lucius and bound him with cords then attended to Hermione.  
"Hermione, are you ok? Please wake up, c'mon it's me, it's Draco, no one can hurt you now, please wake up." He fell down next her on the ground and held her in his arms.  
Blaise had gone straight to Snape's office and to his luck, Snape and Dumbledore were both there. As soon as Blaise finished his story, the three of them ran all the way to where Draco and Hermione and Lucius were. When they reached the scene, Dumbledore acknowledged that Lucius was bond and lying on the ground and seeing that he was securely not a danger at the moment, Dumbledore walked over to Draco and the unconscious Hermione.  
"Mr. Malfoy, she needs to go to the hospital wing. Poppy will revive her immediately. You need to worry. But you should come with me however, and your father so that we can get this mess cleared up and make sure you are safe."  
Draco looked up from Hermione and spoke,  
"I won't leave her. You don't need me to convict Lucius, he murdered my mother, what more do you need? I can't leave Hermione."  
"Yes I understand that you want to make sure she is going to be alright, and yes I do know that Lucius murdered your mother, but if you came it would add to his sentence and we could make sure he was locked up. I assure you Miss Granger will be fine and I highly suggest you come with me."  
"I won't leave her."  
"Well, since you feel so strongly about this, very well then. Professor Snape will escort you both up to hospital wing while I take Lucius to the ministry."  
And Dumbledore disappeared with Lucius levitating down the corridor and out of sight, leaving Professor Snape, Blaise and Draco and Hermione.  
"Mr. Malfoy let's get Miss Granger to the hospital wing."  
Draco nodded and easily lifted her with as much care in the world in his arms and they all walked to the hospital wing where Madame Pomfrey was already waiting for them and had already made a bed for Hermione.  
"Lay her down right here. Just a moment and she'll be awake, a little groggy, but awake nonetheless." And Madame Pomfrey hurried to make a bed ready for Draco next to Hermione's. Draco sat down in the chair next Hermione's bed and laid his head down on the side of the bed waiting for any sign of movement. Sure it was a simple spell that Lucius had used on her, but the force of it was so strong Draco was afraid she wouldn't wake up. He was terrified.  
"Mr. Malfoy into this bed right now. Your beat up pretty bad too, here drink this, all of it." And she shoved a vial at him and he took it slowly, and drank it. It tasted like watered down pumpkin juice and a warm feeling flooded through Draco's veins and he grew sleepy and nodded off to sleep. Seeing that everything was taken care of, Snape and Blaise left the infirmary and went back down to the dungeons.  
Much later that night Draco woke up in the infirmary. He was slow to remember where he was and why he was there, but once he did, he immediately turned to the bed next to him to see if Hermione had woken up yet. She wasn't there. His heart raced. 'Where could she be? I hope she's ok. I have to find her.' And he got up and left the hospital wing. He didn't have any trouble leaving as no one was awake at the hour and he didn't run into anybody either. As soon as he was inside the portrait of the lost little boy and girl, he rushed up to Hermione's room. He knocked on the door but no one answered. He slowly turned the knob and peaked in. To his relief, she was there. She was sound asleep, looking like an angel. He walked over to her bed and placed a light kiss on her forehead. Then he sat in a squashy chair on the other side of the room and watched her sleep the rest of the night.  
When Hermione awoke the next morning, she was unaware of the boy sitting in one of her chairs, fast asleep. When she finally did notice him, she got up immediately and ran to him giving him a huge hug and waking him up.  
"Hey." Draco said very wearily as he wrapped his arms around Hermione and pulled her onto his lap.  
"Hey, how are you? Are you ok? What happened to Lucius?" Hermione said in a hurry as she was anxious to know what had happened. She rested her head against his chest and listened to him speak. He sounded so exhausted it made her just want to throw him down on her bed and make him go to sleep so he could get some rest and feel better.  
"I'm fine. Dumbledore handled everything with Lucius. I assume he's Azkaban now." Draco finished speaking and let out a big yawn.  
"Oh, well I'm so glad you're ok. I'm surprised Madame Pomfrey let you out of the hospital wing so soon. Oh, this must be so hard for you." As she stopped talking, Hermione stood up and grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him up from the chair and over to her bed.  
"Ya, well she didn't exactly let me out. I woke up last night and saw that you weren't there and came to find you to see if you were ok."  
"Oh. Thanks, but you didn't have to do that."  
"Yes I did. And besides I wanted to, I needed to. I needed to know that you were ok."  
"Why?"  
"Hermione, I'm crazy about you. You're in my every thought. I can't stand it when I'm not with you and when you're with any other guy like Potter and Weasley. Hermione, I love you."  
"Oh Draco." She said softly and wrapped her arms around him once again. "I love you too, I have for a long time but I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I do, I do love you."  
Draco leaned down and kissed her passionately on the lips and then Hermione leaned back and lay down causing Draco to do the same. "You're so exhausted, you need to get some sleep."  
"I know, I know, but I can't leave you though, I won't let you go anywhere alone, not while Nick is still around."  
"I'm not going anywhere."  
  
AUTHOR's NOTE:  
Ok, what'd you think? No more songs, I'll add a lemon later. Sorry it took so long. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long as this one did. Review review review!!!  
  
~jojo~ 


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